Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai, a sprawling city with wide streets, but somehow life seems to be lacking vitality. Many, or rather more accurately: Most of the shops are closed and boarded up. (Initially, we suspect it's due to the holidays, but we will soon discover in the following weeks that this is a general phenomenon that will continue to accompany us.)

A must-see are the temple complexes in and around Chiang Rai. As Naveen asked us: 'Are you not templed out yet?' No, we are not! Day after day, we visit the Wat Huay Pla Kang, the Wat Rong Khun, and the Wat Rong Suea Ten. The Wat Huay Pla Kang is dominated by the towering statue of Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of mercy, which is visible from all over the city. The statue can be climbed from inside, and the upper floors are elaborately decorated. The radiant white Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple, was opened in 1997 and captivates with its ornamental playfulness. The even younger Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple, completed in 2016, is also marked by its unconventional artistic design.

In between, we celebrate New Year's Eve at the bell tower in the city center, another prominent landmark. In contrast to the Buddhist calendar, since 1941, the year also begins on January 1st in Thailand; however, instead of the year 2026 AD, we write the year 2569 BE (Buddhist Era). We return to the hotel early and would have slept through the New Year’s change if a short fireworks display hadn’t woken us. By the time we reach the hotel rooftop, the fireworks are nearly over. I manage to capture one last New Year’s rocket in the picture. While Germany begins to ring in the New Year with fireworks, I experience – six hours ahead – a glowing red sunrise. The New Year can come!